Disposable gowns, masks and visors are just some of the many changes the airline has introduced to keep you and its crew safe in the times of coronavirus

As terms such as social distancing and flattening the curve become regular parlance and we get used to living our lives out on our couches, only venturing out for the most essential tasks, masked and in outfits resembling full-body condoms, the new normal that scientists are predicting definitely looks stolen from the pages of dystopian science fiction. This feeling is only going to be enforced if you happen to be flying out of Dubai on an Emirates flight.

The airline that recently started flying to a limited number of routes to Tunis, Jakarta, Manila, Algiers, Taipei, Chicago, Kabul, London and Chicago, mainly to help people from these countries get back home, has recently introduced a host of health measures in view of the pandemic. Right from the moment you step into the mostly deserted terminal, the new normal hits you in your hopefully masked face.

Every Emirates employee you encounter at the terminal, from the ones behind the check-in counter to the ones that help you with your bags and those who guide you in the right direction to your gate will be outfitted in disposable gowns over their uniforms. The check-in staff, sitting behind a safety barrier, will scan your documents from behind the protection of a safety visor and face mask and to minimise contact, they will all be wearing gloves.

Photo: EmiratesPhoto: EmiratesPhoto: Emirates

The airline currently requires all passengers to check in their carry-ons as well, save for laptops, handbags, briefcases and baby items. But don’t worry, Emirates has added the weight of your carry-on allowance to your checked-in allowance. Thermal scanners will check every passenger and airport staff’s temperatures and social distancing indicators will be etched on to the floor to guide passengers. Finally, before boarding, you will have to take a rapid Covid-19 blood test that should give you results within 10 minutes.

The new gear. Photo: Emirates

The signs of this new normal continue to show even after boarding. You can’t take carry-on bags into the cabin any more and the flight attendants who greet you will all be kitted out in protective disposable gowns, gloves and face masks and safety visors as well. There will alway be an empty seat between your allocated spot and your closest neighbour. And don’t expect any magazines or other reading material in the front pocket of your seat either. Those are all gone to minimise the possibility of infection from a previous passenger. As for refreshments, gone are the elaborate meals the airline was known for. All you get is a little box with a sandwich, snack, drink and dessert. Oh, and you will have to wear your face mask and protective gloves at all times during the flight.

Is this the future of travel? We hope not. But for now, we are just glad we can get going again.